Overview

• Published Aug. 28, the draft rule would replace open-ended stays with fixed terms tied to program length, capped at four years, with extensions filed to USCIS.
• Undergraduate F-1 students could not change majors, programs or schools in their first academic year, with limited exceptions, and graduate students would face tighter limits on switching programs.
• Students who complete one program could not begin another at the same or a lower degree level in F-1 status, and the post-completion grace period would drop from 60 to 30 days.
• I-1 media entries would be limited to an initial 240 days with narrowly defined extensions, and DHS set a public comment deadline of Sept. 29.
• Universities and advocates warn of added costs, delays and enrollment risks, and legal analyses flag SEVIS and processing changes as well as overstay risks that could trigger three- or ten-year reentry bans.